BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, announced that a new report from the National Park Service showed that 2,717,380 visitors to national parks in Maine spent $306,900,000 in the state in 2020. Visitor spending resulted in 4,572 jobs and had a cumulative benefit to the state economy of $453,600,000.  

“From the coastal views of Acadia National Park to the awe-inspiring Katahdin Woods and Water National Monument, Maine’s natural jewels attracted literally millions of visitors seeking a respite and clean, fresh air in the midst of a historic pandemic -- that says so much about the human instinct towards nature,” said Senator King. “These special public lands drive tourism and create vital economic activity for our state. As more Americans seek opportunities to access the great outdoors, Maine’s public lands are here to welcome them – and as Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, I am determined to preserve and protect these lands for the next generation.”

Senator King is among the Senate’s loudest voices advocating for public lands and encouraging outdoor recreation. As Chairman of the National Parks Subcommittee, last month, Senator King convened a hearing to examine the current state of the National Park System – focusing on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on National Park Service (NPS) operations, staff, visitation and facilities.

Senator King helped lead the passage the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) into law; the legislation includes the Restore Our Parks Act – a bill led in part by Senator King – and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Permanent Funding Act. The historic legislative package continues Senator King’s career-long focus on conservation efforts, dating back to his work prior to running for elected office through his years as Governor and his service in the Senate. Over the course of his time in the Blaine House, Governor King was responsible for conserving more land across Maine than all Governors before him combined. In recognition of his lifetime of environmental advocacy, Senator King was recently awarded the inaugural National Park Foundation (NPF) “Hero” Award.